U.S. Pat. No. 4,673,687 discloses a chemotherapeutic agent composed essentially of the tannate complex of picro cupric ammonium formate in aqueous solution combined with a minor amount of a surfactant sufficient to prevent formation of ammonium picrate. The therapeutic agent, identified as KT-19827 (and sold under the registered trademark PHYTON-27), is disclosed as useful in the control of plant diseases caused by pathogenic fungi and bacteria.
That patent, which is a division of the application which issued as U.S. Pat. No. 4,544,666, also discloses another chemotherapeutic agent, identified as KT-198, which is composed essentially of a tannate complex of picro ammonium formate and surfactant in a minor amount, which is disclosed as useful in control of plant diseases caused by pathogenic rickettsia-like organisms (RLO's), mycoplasma-like organisms (MLO's), and plant viruses.
It has been discovered that KT-19827 and KT-198 have the unexpected ability to pass through cell walls and kill certain arthropods; arachnids, such as mites; insects, such as aphids and whiteflies; certain mollusks, such as slugs; and certain other animals such as nematodes and similar pests which afflict the foliage, stems, roots, blossoms and seeds of plants. This property enables KT-19827 and KT-198 to be used by application to plants or to the soil around plants to control the numbers of these plant pests. It has also been discovered that KT-19827 and KT-198 can be of significant nutritive value to the plants treated.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,678,687 discloses the ability of KT-19827 and KT-198 to quickly translocate from the injection site in a tree through the entire tree from the roots to the crown leaves. It has now been discovered that unexpectedly this property is broader and includes dispersal in all directions not limited to elongated translocational cells composing the vascular system. It may be utilized to carry other substances, such as nutrients, admixed with KT-19827 or KT-198 to distribute the added substance from the application site throughout a treated plant, shrub or tree, for delivery to the points of use via the plant's own internal transport system. The ability of KT-19827 and KT-198 to penetrate plant cell walls and move among cells in multiple directions may be utilized to introduce substances such as nutrients to the plant, as by spraying or dipping, at standard rates and intervals prescribed by the US EPA label for pesticidal efficiency without doing plant damage.
Disinfection of inanimate surfaces proximate to plants or humans or animals is an unexpected use, which derives from the discovered high level of free copper ions, Cu++. High ionic copper levels equate to greater efficacy against bacterial and other pathogens. The low total copper as metallic needed for efficacy against bacterial and other pathogens assures that it can be obtained without copper damage to plants proximate to the disinfected site.
The ability of KT-19827 and KT-198 to pass through cell walls and kill certain pests enumerated above also enables KT-19827 and KT-198 to be used to control other pests found in and around structures for habitation by humans and animals; control of animal pests such as bird lice, and control of human pests such as mites and head lice, fungal infections of the feet, microbial infections of cartilage and other sternum locales exposed to hospital infections during surgery which do not respond, due to low or no blood-circulation, to standard antibiotics ingested or given intravenously.